Mazda 6 Alloy Wheel

Mazda 6 How-to: Alloy Wheel Troubleshooting Tips

Alloy wheels are lighter but provide more strength and better heat conduction than the usual wheels. It is also a plus point that alloy wheels look aesthetically better than steel, so while alloy is considerably more expensive, it is the preferred choice for seasoned car enthusiasts. While an alloy wheel might seem like the golden sample of wheels known to mankind, it is not without flaws. A poorly-designed alloy wheel has a tendency to elongate over time; and based from experience and common sense, elongated wheels just won't do. It not only diminishes the performance and drivability of a car, it also provides plenty of room for vehicular accidents. Below are other problems associated with alloy wheels, and how you can avoid them:

The lacquer on the rim is insufficient.

Have you ever experienced going to a vulcanizing shop to check your tyres, and the mechanic tells you that there is dust buildup from the inside of the wheel? That dust buildup is rust, and it is a common problem caused by inadequate supply of lacquer. While you can clean the rust buildup, a quick clean-up job won't do as well as a long-term treatment. What you need to do is fairly simple, but you can't do it by yourself. Have the alloy refurbished by shot blasting, powder coating, and lacquered. This process will make your wheels look new, and the lasting effect will endure a good number of years on the road.

The paint is cracking and bubbly under the powder coating.

This is the problem when you lacquer the alloy wheel yourself. It is a common mistake for Saturday Mechanics to spray lacquer over enamel in hopes that this will strengthen the coating. Believe us, it won't. If anything, it will just prevent the automotive paint from adhering to the component perfectly. The proper order for this project is to sand the alloy wheel, coat it with the specified powder for the part, coat it with lacquer, and paint it completely. If you feel like you are not qualified to this on your own, it is always good advice to trust that instinct of yours, and forward the job to a professional.

Mazda 6 Alloy Wheel Available Years

Mazda 6 How-to: Proper Maintenance of an Alloy Wheel 27 February 2013

Most of the original equipment alloy wheels installed on late model cars like your Mazda 6 are forged. This ensures the longevity of the part to withstand the test of time and cruel driving environments. The same could not be said for aftermarket alloy wheels, however. Most of the time, the wheels are casted to cut cost. Over the years, supply for cast aftermarket wheels has been overly-saturated because of the influx of cheap chrome material from China. If you happen to have purchased an aftermarket alloy wheel, below is a list to help you keep the component in its best shape; be it forged or casted.

Schedule regular trips to the mechanic to check on your wheels.

Regardless of where or how you usually drive your car-normal city cruising or regular off-road trips-the best solution to any kind of problem is religious preventive maintenance. After all, professional help is always the best help. When you take your car for check-ups, you can keep track of any activity that goes on in your wheels. You can notice signs of corrosion at the onset, and provide adequate support before problems worsen.

When you notice chips on the clear coat, do not hesitate to remedy them immediately.

When the issue is not resolved in a timely manner, the chips will eventually eat way on the interior side of the alloy wheel where it cannot be seen to the naked eye. Chips are fairly easy to cure; they are, after all, damaged merely by stone hits. With some powder coating and lacquer, you can prevent this minor glitch from escalating. Also, a slew of alloy wheel treatment products are available in the market.

If you accidentally warped the outer lip of the rim, assess the extent of the damage before proceeding with self-help procedures.

If the warp is minimal enough that it doesn't stick out that much, then you can solve this by using a coarse emory cloth progressively until sharp edges are smoothened out. Apply some polishing to smooth it out. Note that this method is advised not to bring the old appearance back, but only to prevent the sharp edges of the warp from damaging the tyres.